Belgium auto giant launches ‘Lucien’, a 9 store bike shop chain

D’Ieteren Automotive, the Belgium based car importer, has announced its entry into the bicycle retail sector, with the business trading as Lucien, a familiar name evoking memories of past Belgium cycling successes, also D’leteren company history.

Founded in 1805 and listed on the Belgium stock exchange in 1929, the family business’ history as an auto importer stretches back to 1931. Today D’leteren is the distributor of Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Škoda, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Rimac, Cupra and Porsche vehicles in Belgium, with a market share of more than 23% and 1.2 million vehicles on the road.

With the announcement of it’s foray into bicycle retail, the business is focused upon evolving its model, shifting towards “improving the lives of citizens with fluid, accessible and sustainable mobility”, with the press release highlighting, “Lucien and has the ambition to become the favourite retail chain of cyclists in Belgium.”

The business has, in the past number of months, acquired 2 cycling businesses, enabling Lucien to launch as a 9 store group. Of the Brussels and Antwerp based acquisitions the firm said, “The quality of the service offered and the expertise of the existing teams were the most important criteria for D’Ieteren.”

Plans to open a Brussels-based store, greater than 3,000m2 in size, are well advanced, with the aim of a spring 2022 opening, offering brands including as Tern, Urban Arrow and Cube. A test track will be located in store, along with full workshop services.

Karl Lechat, MD of the May 2021 formed bike division, comments; “Lucien aim to expand further, through acquiring of stores in the most important cities in the country, so as to have a Belgian wide footprint within a 5 year timeframe.”

Of the announcement, industry observers note the speed in which established auto industry players have entered the bicycle market; something which has certainly generated substantial debate. Many see a shift to ‘mobility’, especially with e-bikes and e-cargo bikes, as a gateway to BEV sales. Others conclude that a suite of products, including BEV and e-mobility solutions, is a logical pairing for historically ICE based businesses, given the shift in societal attitudes to transport, and the impact of travel upon the environment. The shift in focus of IAA certainly suggests a near future market transformation, moving toward a collective e-mobility solutions viewpoint. In other related news, Porsche yesterday bought into Fazua.